Francisco Lindor shakes off illness, comes off bench to rally Mets past Cubs 7-6 in 11 innings

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor delivered a pair of two-run doubles off the bench, rallying the New York Mets past the Chicago Cubs 7-6 in 11 innings Thursday for a split of their four-game series.

Right fielder Starling Marte made two rocket throws in extra innings, cutting down Cubs runners at the plate to end the 10th and 11th. Brandon Nimmo had two RBIs for the Mets, who overcame a 4-0 deficit to salvage a 3-4 homestand.

“It was exciting,” Marte said through an interpreter. “Whenever we make plays like that, it always gives us a boost offensively.”

Daniel Palencia (0-1) drilled Harrison Bader with a pitch to begin the bottom of the 11th. Lindor then lashed a sharp grounder inside third base and down the left-field line to score automatic runner Brett Baty and Bader.

Lindor didn’t start after leaving Wednesday night’s game early with flu-like symptoms — so that he wouldn't “throw up” or “go number two” at shortstop.

“Not a lot of sleep. Not a lot of fluid in my body. But I'm good,” a tired Lindor said with a smile at his locker. “I was ready.”

Lindor said he received IV fluids and took nausea medicine to combat a virus that also afflicted his wife, daughter and teammate Joey Wendle recently.

“It's just part of the grind, part of being a big leaguer,” Lindor said. “Today I was a role player.”

Nick Madrigal gave Chicago a 6-5 lead in the top of the 11th with a run-scoring double on the first pitch from Danny Young (1-0), who earned his first major league win in his Mets debut.

“I kind of knew the situation. I was kind of the last guy down there so we were either going to win or lose, but I was probably going to be the guy with the ball at the end,” Young said. “Defense bailed me out. Marte bailed me out.”

Mets closer Edwin Díaz retired all five batters he faced in his first outing of more than one inning since missing last season following knee surgery.

Christopher Morel hit a three-run homer for the Cubs, who stole six bases. Pete Crow-Armstrong, traded by the Mets in July 2021 a year after they drafted him in the first round, had two RBIs.

New York catchers have thrown out only one runner attempting to steal this season.

“There was a lot that happened in the game,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said, “and we just end up coming up short.”

A sloppy fielding error by reliever Keegan Thompson helped New York score three times in the sixth. Lindor came through with a pinch-hit double off Thompson that scored two runs, and Nimmo's two-out RBI double against left-hander Richard Lovelady tied it 5-all.

Morel's fifth-inning drive off struggling Mets starter Adrian Houser gave Cubs rookie Ben Brown a 4-0 lead in his fourth major league start.

Pitching about 50 miles from his Long Island hometown, Brown held New York hitless through four innings with dozens of friends and family members in the stands.

“Super cool. I grew up going to games here,” Brown said.

But he issued a leadoff walk in the fifth and yielded consecutive RBI singles to Nimmo and Marte with two outs. After a walk to DJ Stewart loaded the bases, the big right-hander was pulled.

“Just frustration for the 0-2 to Nimmo," Brown said. “I just couldn't finish it off."

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: LHP Justin Steele (left hamstring strain) will meet the team in Chicago this weekend and see the medical staff before it's determined whether he's ready to rejoin the rotation without another minor league rehab outing. Steele, on the injured list since getting hurt opening day, threw 63 pitches Wednesday for Triple-A Iowa. He allowed three runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings. ... RHP Kyle Hendricks (lower back strain) was scheduled to throw about 75-80 pitches in a rehab start for Double-A Tennessee.

Mets: LHP Brooks Raley (left elbow inflammation) is expected to undergo another MRI. He won't be ready to come off the injured list Monday when first eligible, as previously hoped. “That's probably going to be longer than what we anticipated,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’re going to take it slow.”

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Hayden Wesneski (2-0, 0.87 ERA) makes his second start and fourth appearance of the year Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field against Milwaukee RHP Joe Ross (1-3, 5.40). It will be Chicago's first game this season within the NL Central.

Mets: LHP Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.48 ERA) starts Friday night at Tampa Bay against RHP Aaron Civale (2-2, 5.06). New York will bring up RHP Christian Scott, the team's top pitching prospect, from Triple-A Syracuse to start Saturday night versus the Rays in his major league debut.

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Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel, right, celebrates his three-run homer with teammates during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Mets catcher Omar Narváez, left, watches as Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel crosses home plate after hitting a three-run homer during the fifth inning of a baseball game at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Chicago Cubs pitcher Ben Brown throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Chicago Cubs pitcher Ben Brown throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor reacts after hitting a two-run double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Mets catcher Omar Narváez, right, tags out Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel as he tries to score during the 10th inning of a baseball game at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor reacts after hitting a walk-off two-run double in the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. The Mets defeated the Cubs 7-6 in 11 innings. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off two-run double during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. The Mets defeated the Cubs 7-6 in 11 innings. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, center, celebrates with teammates DJ Stewart, left, and Pete Alonso after hitting a walk-off two-run double during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. The Mets defeated the Cubs 7-6 in 11 innings. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor reacts after hitting a walk-off two-run double in the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. The Mets defeated the Cubs 7-6 in 11 innings. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor hits a walk-off two-run double during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. The Mets defeated the Cubs 7-6 in 11 innings. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was seriously wounded in an apparent assassination attempt just weeks before a Europe-wide election that has been deeply divisive. He was shot multiple times in an attack in the town of Handlova that authorities described as politically motivated, although they said the suspect did not belong to any political groups.

Here’s a global look at other notable assassinations and assassination attempts during the 21st century:

— Sept. 1, 2022: Argentina's then-Vice President Cristina Fernández is targeted by a man who reportedly aimed a handgun at point-blank range toward the politician in what government ministers characterize as an assassination attempt.

— July 8, 2022: Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is assassinated by a gunman who opened fire on him as he delivered a campaign speech on a street in western Japan.

— Nov. 6, 2021: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survives an assassination attempt when two armed drones target his residence in Baghdad's Green Zone area. While al-Kadhimi is uninjured, seven of his security guards are injured in the attack.

— Oct. 15, 2021: British lawmaker David Amess is stabbed to death by an Islamic State supporter while meeting with voters.

— July 7, 2021: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is assassinated by gunmen in an overnight raid on his Port-au-Prince home. His widow, Martine, ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haiti’s National Police, Léon Charles, among others, are indicted in his killing in February 2024.

— April 20, 2021: Chad President Idriss Deby Itno is killed while battling rebels in the north. Hours earlier he had been declared the winner of an election that would have given him another six years in power.

— Aug. 4, 2018: Drones armed with explosives detonate near Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an apparent assassination attempt while he is delivering a speech to hundreds of soldiers being broadcast live on television. Six people are later arrested in connection with the attack.

— Dec. 19, 2016: Russia’s ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov is shot dead by a Turkish policeman shouting condemnation of Russia’s military role in Syria, in front of a shocked gathering at a photo exhibit. The gunman was later killed in a shootout with police.

— July 15, 2016: A group of Turkish soldiers using tanks, warplanes and helicopters launch a plot to overthrow Turkey's president and government. The coup attempt fails. One year later, 40 people are sentenced to life in prison after being convicted on charges that include attempting to kill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

— June 16, 2016: British lawmaker Jo Cox is shot and stabbed to death by a far-right supporter in the English village of Birstall, part of her constituency.

— Feb. 6, 2013: Tunisian left-wing opposition leader Chokri Belaid is fatally shot outside his Tunis home. His killing — followed six months later by that of another left-wing leader, Mohammed Brahmi — plunged Tunisia into political chaos. Four people are sentenced to death and two others to life in prison in March 2024 for their roles in his death.

— Oct. 20, 2011: Longtime Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is hunted and summarily killed by insurgents after being toppled in a NATO-backed uprising.

— Jan. 8, 2011: U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords survives an assassination attempt after being shot by a man in an Arizona grocery store parking lot while meeting with constituents. Giffords' injuries are so significant that she has to re-learn how to walk and talk. The attack kills six other people and wounds 11 more.

— March 2, 2009: Guinea-Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira is killed by renegade soldiers in his palace, hours after a bomb blast killed his rival in the West African nation.

— December 27, 2007: Benazir Bhutto, the first female prime minister in a Muslim-majority country as well as Pakistan’s second nationally elected prime minister, is shot at and then fatally attacked by a suicide bomber at a political rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

— Feb. 14, 2005: Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is killed by a suicide truck bomb on a seaside boulevard in Beirut. Another 21 people die and 226 are wounded in the attack, which is seen by many in Lebanon as the work of neighboring Syria.

— March 12, 2003: Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic is shot dead in front of the Serbian government headquarters in Belgrade. He was a key leader of the revolt that toppled former President Slobodan Milosevic in October 2000. Twelve people are later convicted in connection with the killing, which was carried out to halt his pro-Western reforms, according to a Serbian court ruling.

— July 2, 2002: French President Jacques Chirac survives an assassination attempt by a far-right right supporter who shoots at him and misses during Bastille Day celebrations on Paris' Champs-Elysees. Chirac is uninjured.

— May 6, 2002: Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn is gunned down in a northern Netherlands city, days before a general election in which he was a candidate, by an animal rights activist.

— June 1, 2001: Nepal’s King Birendra is killed when his son, Crown Prince Dipendra, opens fire on his family in the royal palace. The dead include Queen Aiswarya, a prince and five others. Officials said the shooting followed a dispute over the prince’s marriage.

— Jan. 18, 2001: Congo President Laurent Kabila is assassinated in the presidential palace in the capital, Kinshasa, by one of his bodyguards, who is killed minutes later by security forces.

FILE - Supporters of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez gather in Plaza de Mayo square the day after a person pointed a gun at her outside her home in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)

FILE - A police investigator works in a van at the scene where a person pointed a gun at Argentina's Vice President Cristina Fernandez outside her home in the Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)

FILE - People pray at a makeshift memorial at the scene where former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot during an election campaign in Nara, western Japan on July 8, 2022. Abe was assassinated by a gunman who opened fire on him as he delivered a campaign speech on a street. (Kyodo News via AP, File)

Rescue workers wheel Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot and injured, to a hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Jan Kroslak/TASR via AP)

Police arrest a man after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and injured following the cabinet's away-from-home session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile. (Radovan Stoklasa/TASR via AP)

FILE - Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during a press conference with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was wounded in a shooting Wednesday May 15, 2024 and taken to hospital. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File)